bahaicanada – Bahá’í Canadahttp://bahaicanada.bahai.ca
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:44:42 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9Bahá’í Councils 2018 – 2019http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/bahai-councils-2018-2019/
Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:27:46 +0000http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/?p=29404On 26 November, the Day of the Covenant, a new term of service began for Regional Bahá’í Councils in Canada. Councils are institutions that were brought into being by the Universal House of Justice to carry forward the teaching work and minister to the needs of a rapidly growing Bahá’í community.

The following individuals will be serving on Bahá’í Councils until November 2019:

]]>From the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World – 26 November 2018http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/from-the-universal-house-of-justice-to-the-bahais-of-the-world-27-november-2018/
Thu, 29 Nov 2018 16:22:13 +0000http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/?p=2939526 November, 2018

To the Bahá’ís of the World

Dearly loved Friends,

In this season, from the Day of the Covenant to the commemoration of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, every Bahá’í heart is stirred by remembrance of Him Who is the Mystery of God, the Centre of Bahá’u’lláh’s impregnable Covenant, the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal, the Most Mighty Branch of God where under all can find shelter. May His boundless love and tender solicitude give you reassurance and sustenance as you strive to fulfill the trust He bestowed upon you in His Testament and His Divine Plan. At night in that hallowed room in His home where He departed this life for reunion with His beloved Lord, we will testify to your fidelity to His call, evident in your tireless labors to create a refuge for humanity at this moment of increasing injustice and affliction.

Three brief years remain until the centenary of the Master’s passing, when Bahá’ís the world over will gather and take account of the distance traversed over the first century of the Formative Age. May His loved ones, individually and collectively, little by little and day by day, increasingly embody His counsels: to be united in the Cause and firm in the Covenant; to avoid calumny and never speak ill of others; to see no strangers but regard all as members of one family; to set aside divergent theories and conflicting views and pursue a single purpose and common goal; to ensure that the love of Bahá’u’lláh has so mastered every organ, part, and limb as to leave no effect from the promptings of the human world; to arise with heart and soul and in one accord to teach the Cause; to march in serried lines, pressed together, each supporting the others; to cultivate good character, perseverance, strength, and determination; to know the value of this precious Faith, obey its teachings, walk in this road that is drawn straight, and show this way to the people.

That you may fulfill His highest expectations, we pray for each of you.

The passing of Shapoor Monadjem, distinguished and greatly loved servant of the Blessed Beauty, has brought much sadness to our hearts. We call to mind, at this moment, his immense dedication to the teaching work, knowledge of the Faith, and insight into the application of its principles. These qualities were much in evidence when he was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil and during the decade he served as a Continental Counsellor in the Americas. As a member of the International Teaching Centre, his talents and energies were determinedly focused upon the worldwide propagation and protection of the Faith. The wide-ranging services he undertook in his lifetime also included the promotion of the Right of God as a Deputy Trustee of Ḥuqúqu’lláh. A kindly and gentle soul, good-humoured and brimming with creative inspiration, he was also blessed with considerable administrative abilities, honed in many different settings, which he deployed with great effect in service to the Cause of God.

To his dear wife, Bahareh, and to his children and grandchildren we extend our condolences and an assurance of our supplications in the Holy Shrines for his soul’s blissful passage into the realms of the eternal. We also ask that memorial gatherings be convened in his honour in all Houses of Worship and in Bahá’í communities across the world.

The Universal House of Justice

]]>Compilation on the Institution of the Mashriq’l-Adhkárhttp://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/compilation-on-the-institution-of-the-mashriql-adhkar/
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 17:59:36 +0000http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/?p=29379

Continental Bahá’í House of Worship of North America in Wilmette, Illinois, USA.

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

We are very happy to share with you the attached compilation titled “The Institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár”, received from the Department of the Secretariat of the Universal House of Justice. In its cover letter, it was noted that “The compilation consists of eighty-six extracts from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the writings of Shoghi Effendi, and the letters of the Universal House of Justice. Twenty-two of these are newly translated and appear in English for the first time. The compilation is accompanied by an introduction; both have been prepared by the Research Department at the Bahá’í World Centre at the request of the House of Justice and are now available on the Bahá’í Reference Library in the section containing compilations.” You may access the Bahá’í Reference Library at https://www.bahai.org/library/.

The letter further adds that “… It is the ardent hope of the House of Justice that this compilation will assist the friends in gaining a deeper understanding of the vital role that the House of Worship is destined to play in the spiritual transformation of society.”

Kindly arrange for its wide distribution. The French translation of the document is in preparation and we will be sure to share it with you when it becomes available.

Through weeks of preparation, a Twin Holy Day celebration in Toronto opened the door for a wide range of friends to be of service to their community.

Matt Kianfar, who took part in the celebration with his study circle, said that consultations at his neighbourhood Feast helped everyone consider what they could offer – either as individuals or through their core activities – to the event.

“The Feast letter encouraged us to think about what we can do based on what we have learned in the past,” he said. Several friends planned home visits to deepen on the significance of the Twin Holy Days and to consult on what they could do to celebrate. The response from the community members was immediate. Some contributed decorations, music and storytelling, while others offered food or rides, ensuring that no one was left out of the celebrations.

Mr. Kianfar and his study circle decided to prepare by watching Light to the World, the film released during the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh,

One participant, Keisha Gayle, says the film inspired her to paint a tree and invite the children and junior youth in her community to add handprints as leaves. On the trunk she included a quotation from Bahá’u’lláh reading: “Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch.”

“It was such a profound video,” she said. “In that video there is a tree that looked just like this one and I was thinking that it would work well for our community if all the kids could get together and all the groups and show that we are really one.”

Parsa Zahraei, a youth whose study circle collaborated to tell the story of the life of Bahá’u’lláh, said it had a great impact on him to prepare for the evening with his friends.

“I was deeply inspired by the life of Bahá’u’lláh. He went through so much and it really showed me how important it is to dedicate time to serving the Faith.”

He added that so many different people celebrating Bahá’u’lláh was a very special thing.

“We all came here to celebrate the life of a Prophet of God and we’ve been able to spread that Message further, to our neighbours,” he said. “I can’t wait for the next celebration.”

]]>Message from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World – 9 November 2018http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/9_nov_2018/
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 20:33:17 +0000http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/?p=29372

Column detail of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. Photo: Bahá’í International Community

To the Bahá’ís of the World

Dearly loved Friends,

As the process of the disintegration of a lamentably defective world order gathers momentum in all parts of the planet, engendering hopelessness, confusion, hostility, and insecurity, the hearts of the friends everywhere must be assured, their eyes clear-sighted, their feet firm, as they work patiently and sacrificially to raise a new order in its stead. The guidance of Bahá’u’lláh is the foundation upon which you build. His instruction is clear: “This servant appealeth to every diligent and enterprising soul to exert his utmost endeavor and arise to rehabilitate the conditions in all regions and to quicken the dead with the living waters of wisdom and utterance, by virtue of the love he cherisheth for God, the One, the Peerless, the Almighty, the Beneficent.” His divine remedy has been prescribed: “God, the True One, beareth Me witness, and every atom in existence is moved to testify that such means as lead to the elevation, the advancement, the education, the protection and the regeneration of the peoples of the earth have been clearly set forth by Us and are revealed in the Holy Books and Tablets by the Pen of Glory.” And His assurance is engraved on every faithful heart: “The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.”

During the ministries of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, the first community of sufficient size that could begin to systematically apply Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to unite material and spiritual progress was that of the believers in the Cradle of the Faith. The steady flow of guidance from the Holy Land enabled the Bahá’ís of Iran to make tremendous strides in but one or two generations and to contribute a distinctive share to the progress of their nation. A network of schools that provided moral and academic education, including for girls, flourished. Illiteracy was virtually eliminated in the Bahá’í community. Philanthropic enterprises were created. Prejudices among ethnic and religious groups, aflame in the wider society, were extinguished within the community’s loving embrace. Villages became distinguished for their cleanliness, order, and progress. And believers from that land were instrumental in raising in another land the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár with its dependencies designed to “afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant.” Over time, such efforts were augmented by scattered initiatives of other Bahá’í communities in various parts of the world. However, as Shoghi Effendi remarked to one community, the number of believers was as yet too small to effect a notable change in the wider society, and for more than the first half century of the Formative Age the believers were encouraged to concentrate their energies on the propagation of the Faith, since this was work that only Bahá’ís could do—indeed their primary spiritual obligation—and it would prepare them for the time when they could address the problems of humanity more directly.

Thirty-five years ago, circumstances within and outside the community combined to create new possibilities for greater involvement in the life of society. The Faith had developed to the stage at which the processes of social and economic development needed to be incorporated into its regular pursuits, and in October 1983 we called upon the Bahá’ís of the world to enter this new field of endeavor. The Office of Social and Economic Development was established at the Bahá’í World Centre to assist us in promoting and coordinating the activities of the friends worldwide. Bahá’í activities for social and economic development, at whatever level of complexity, were at that time counted in the hundreds. Today they number in the tens of thousands, including hundreds of sustained projects such as schools and scores of development organizations. The broad range of current activities spans efforts from villages and neighborhoods to regions and nations, addressing an array of challenges, including education from preschool to university, literacy, health, the environment, support for refugees, advancement of women, empowerment of junior youth, elimination of racial prejudice, agriculture, local economies, and village development. The society-building power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Cause has begun to be more systematically expressed in the collective life of the friends as a result of the acceleration of the process of expansion and consolidation, especially in advanced clusters. Beyond this, of course, countless believers, through their professional and voluntary efforts, contribute their energies and insights to projects and organizations established for the common good.

Once again, then, we find that forces inside and outside the Faith have made possible a new stage in the work of social and economic development in the Bahá’í world. Therefore, on this sacred occasion of the Festivals of the Twin Birthdays, we are pleased to announce that the Office of Social and Economic Development now effloresces into a new world-embracing institution established at the World Centre, the Bahá’í International Development Organization. In addition, a Bahá’í Development Fund will be inaugurated, from which the new organization will draw to assist both long-standing and emerging development efforts worldwide; it will be supported by the House of Justice, and individuals and institutions may contribute to it.

A five-member board of directors will be appointed which will function as a consultative body to promote and coordinate the efforts of the worldwide community in social and economic development. The directors will serve for a term of five years beginning on the Day of the Covenant. Operating at the spiritual and administrative centre of the Faith, the board will consult with the Universal House of Justice and the International Teaching Centre to ensure that the development work is coherent with the many endeavors of the Bahá’í world. The new institution will begin by assuming the functions and mandate previously carried out by the Office of Social and Economic Development and then gradually grow in capacity to discharge them on an expanding scale and at higher levels of complexity. It will reinforce the efforts of Bahá’í individuals, communities, and institutions worldwide to extend and consolidate the range of their activities. It will help to strengthen institutional capacity for social and economic development in national communities, including through the creation of new agencies and the emergence of advanced development organizations. It will promote, on an international scale, approaches to development and methodologies that have proven effective. It will keep abreast of findings in the development field and explore their application in consonance with spiritual principles with assistance from Bahá’ís with relevant training. It will form networks of resource persons and such institutional arrangements across continents as are necessary for carrying out its various lines of action. Above all, like the Office of Social and Economic Development before it, its primary purpose will be to facilitate learning about development by fostering and supporting action, reflection on action, study, consultation, the gathering and systematization of experience, conceptualization, and training—all carried out in the light of the Teachings of the Faith.

Upon the Arc on Mount Carmel that surrounds the resting places of members of the Holy Family, Shoghi Effendi anticipated both the raising of edifices and the establishment of international institutions—administrative, scientific, and social—that would flourish under the auspices of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. This new institution for social and economic development will grow and evolve over the decades and centuries ahead according to the needs of humanity and under the direction of the House of Justice until the material and spiritual civilization anticipated by Bahá’u’lláh is realized in this contingent world.

Ultimately, of course, the work of Bahá’í social and economic development rests in the hands of the friends everywhere. To take full advantage of the opportunities emerging, one need look no further for encouragement and insight than to the perfect Exemplar of the Bahá’í teachings. Consider His words: “We should continually be establishing new bases for human happiness and creating and promoting new instrumentalities toward this end. How excellent, how honorable is man if he arises to fulfill his responsibilities; how wretched and contemptible, if he shuts his eyes to the welfare of society and wastes his precious life in pursuing his own selfish interests and personal advantages. Supreme happiness is man’s, and he beholds the signs of God in the world and in the human soul, if he urges on the steed of high endeavor in the arena of civilization and justice.”

The Universal House of Justice, in its 29 Dec., 2015 message to the Continental Board of Counsellors, described a journey through life that held, at its heart, a deep and personal love for Bahá’u’lláh and His Cause. It noted, in particular, how “the marvelous exploits of the youth in the field of service are one of the finest fruits of the present Plan.”

And as the individual moves from youth into adulthood, the “freedom of movement and availability of time” that “enable many youth to serve in ways that are directly related to the needs of the community” start to change. “As they advance further into their twenties, their horizons broaden,” and other activities, “equally demanding and highly meritorious,” begin to draw on the attention of young adults as they consider their education, work and family life in their immediate and far-reaching futures.

With these changing requirements on how to spend their time, youth and young adults face many questions about what it looks like to pursue these activities while maintaining attention on the various realms of service that contribute to Bahá’í community life. How to weave the many strands of life to create a cohesive whole, drawn together through service to Bahá’u’lláh, is something that many people, of all ages, are striving to understand.

While we realize that this is a continually evolving topic, this issue of Bahá’í Canada shares some thoughts on this pivotal question. Through our featured article sharing the reflections of a few youth who decided to dedicate a period of their life to service, along with the stories from across Canada from families and individuals working to place the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh at the centre of their activities – work, service, finances and family life – we can join them in contemplating the many facets of our lives and discuss the ways a coherent life can grow.

In the From the History of the Bahá’í Faith section of this magazine, we have the opportunity to explore the early life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His perfect example – how He lived His youth focused on the teachings of His Father and, from childhood to marriage to work, His every decision was based on Bahá’u’lláh’s wishes. We also step back in time to when the Faith was new in Canada and a group of youth, through the guidance of Shoghi Effendi, transformed what it meant to live as a Bahá’í – something that we continue to see evolve today.

This issue also has the honour of sharing with the Canadian Bahá’í community insights from this year’s National Convention. The many topics discussed, including the upcoming bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb, are permeating the conversations of the community across the country, encouraging us to continue to press forward in our life-long service to the Best Beloved.

We hope that the stories in this issue can help explore what it means to weave together a life of service and that we will hear more from you about what you are learning on this topic. Please enjoy this magazine and, for more content, we welcome you to visit Bahá’í Canada online at www.bahaicanada.bahai.ca.

The 70th Canadian National Convention opened with a resounding “Canada is here!” from the chair of the National Spiritual Assembly, Deloria Bighorn.

The main hall of the Toronto Bahá’í Centre, warmed through the presence of so many friends from across the country, was decorated with fresh flowers and stories of the many celebrations that took place throughout the country for the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh. The Convention was further enhanced by the presence of three special guests, two of whom who had served as members of the Universal House of Justice: Mr. Douglas Martin and Dr. Firaydoun, along with Dr. Firaydoun’s wife, Mrs. Vida Javaheri, newly returned from service in the Holy Land.

The Ridván message from the Universal House of Justice was read in French and English, and at its close, the delegates began their consultation on the message.

While many topics were brought up over the four days of the convention, the transformation to the Bahá’í community — noted by the Universal House of Justice in the Ridván message — was a common theme throughout the consultations of the delegates.

One delegate from rural Alberta said that the convention’s consultation had evolved since the last time she attended.

“I haven’t been here in about three years,” she told Bahá’í Canada, “and it’s so amazing to hear the confidence in everyone’s words. Before, people seemed so unsure about what they were doing but now there is this confidence that is really quite exciting.”

Love for the Institutions of the Faith

A number of delegates expressed a deep sense of gratitude from their communities for the flood of guidance and encouragement that came to every community in Canada through messages from the Universal House of Justice and the letters sent throughout the year by the National Spiritual Assembly.

“We are so grateful for all the messages sent to us last year,” said one delegate from British Columbia, directly addressing the members of the National Spiritual Assembly from where they sat across the room. “They were love letters to our community from you.”

She explained that every time a message came, a team of friends would meet to translate it into Persian and get it to the Persian-speaking friends as soon as possible. The study of these letters became a natural part of her community’s activities.

“We started to see a unified language in our community and we were able to take steps towards our bicentenary. The language is rising,” she said, “and we are so grateful. Thank you.”

Many delegates shared stories about how support from different institutions, such as the Auxiliary Board members, their assistants, Area Teaching Committees and planned intensive campaigns, played an important role in the growth of their community-building endeavours.

A delegate from Nunavut shared how the number of activities in the North has increased.

“In the past three years we have had growth with the support of a coordinator and the Auxiliary Board member,” he said. “We have children’s classes, devotionals, and for the bicentenary we restarted our Bahá’í radio program. We had some youth go and take part in a Book 5 intensive in Thunder Bay [Ont.], and when they came back they did some outreach. Now we have a junior youth group in Iqaluit. Most of our participants are from the wider community and most are Inuit.”

Love for the Universal House of Justice was commonly referenced and was further deepened through the stories told by the members of the National Spiritual Assembly who attended the International Convention in April. Each member stood and shared personal accounts of this Convention – which takes place every five years – helping to connect the friends in Canada to the extraordinary experience of gathering, with the peoples of the world, to elect the Universal House of Justice.

At the midpoint of the National Convention, the delegates engaged in their sacred task of electing the members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year. Both the delegates and the observers – who watched from a room upstairs in the Centre – took time to pray and to create a sacred and rarified that was sustained while the delegates filled out their ballots.

Then the name of each delegate was called by locality, and one by one their ballots were dropped — either by their own hand or delivered by the head teller if the delegate had not been able to attend the convention in person — into the election box. When the last ballot was cast, the delegates broke into song, singing one of the prayers revealed for the Bahá’ís of Canada:

“O Thou incomparable God! O Thou Lord of the Kingdom!

These souls are Thy heavenly army. Assist them and, with the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse, make them victorious, so that each one of them may become like unto a regiment and conquer these countries through the love of God and the illumination of divine teachings.

O God! Be Thou their supporter and their helper, and in the wilderness, the mountain, the valley, the forests, the prairies and the seas, be Thou their confidant—so that they may cry out through the power of the Kingdom and the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the Omnipotent, and Thou art the Wise, the Hearing and the Seeing.”

A first-time delegate from a small community in B.C. said the election process deeply touched her heart. “When I was walking up to put my ballot in the box, I don’t have the words. I felt humble,” she told Bahá’í Canada. “My parents were delegates in the past and I felt them with me as I was walking up to put my ballot in. It’s a real honour.”

When the head teller returned with the election results, she announced that all 171 delegates cast ballots. The delegates cheered upon hearing of the 100 per cent participation of the friends in the election, as has been the case in previous years.

After the names of each member of the National Spiritual Assembly was announced, and the nine chosen friends stood together in front of the delegates, applause rang through the main hall as every person present stood to welcome the members to their service for the coming year.

Supporting the youth

On the second day, the delegates watched the film A Widening Embrace which had been presented at the International Convention in April. Counsellor Borna Noureddin, while greeting the delegates the evening before, described how the film shows the Plan in action. He encouraged the delegates to treat the film like a message from the House of Justice: deserving repeated viewing and study alongside the Ridván Message.

“One has to be alert to how this film was produced. There are 25 communities in this film. For every minute you see there, hundreds of hours were recorded,” he told the assembled delegates. Its content, he explained, was guided by the Universal House of Justice. “It’s not hard to imagine its connection to the Ridván Message and it’s important to look at it through this lens.”

With these comments in mind, and fresh from their initial study of the Ridván message, the delegates watched the film while taking note of the patterns of action that lead to the growth hoped for in every cluster.

A major component, many delegates commented, was the need to systematically support youth and raise up junior youth groups. One delegate from B.C., for example, explained how reflecting regularly in groups has helped to remove many of the barriers felt by those struggling to maintain a junior youth group over a long period of time.

“For the past 10 years, we have been trying to move youth through the institute process and into the field. What we realized is that we haven’t had the discipline [to reflect on] action. Now we are trying to meet at least on a weekly basis to reflect. It has removed any feelings of being alone and we are able to collaborate as a larger group.”

She added that people shouldn’t hesitate to ask youth to take part in intensive campaigns to study the sequence of courses, but rather should recognize the energy and capacity that allows them to dedicate their time to intensive study of the institute courses and participation in its community-building activities.

“We have also learned the power of the institute and the importance of attending the intensive campaigns. Those who are coming fall in love with the process and see themselves as protagonists in that process.”

From the Atlantic Provinces, a delegate shared how community-building is enhanced through the united efforts of the youth and the other members of the community.

“We developed teams during the [expansion] phase where it was everyone together — pairing youth with a non-youth — for home visits,” she said. She shared that when they decided to hold a junior youth camp – a period of intensity when one or more junior youth groups come together to study, serve and delve into the arts – they found that it wasn’t just the junior youth arriving to participate. “They came with their families, not just sending their children, but the whole family! It was a real relationship because everyone was there together.”

﻿

Preparing for the next bicentenary

With so much learned over the past year from preparing for and celebrating the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh with the wider community, the conversation among the delegates naturally included thoughts for the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb. A common suggestion was that the friends begin studying The Dawnbreakers and Ruhi Book 4: The Twin Manifestations.

Delegates discussed how love for Bahá’u’lláh translates into love for the Báb, and vice versa.

“I couldn’t speak after the reading of the Ridván message yesterday,” said a delegate from Quebec. “For the first time in my Bahá’í existence I realized my proximity to the Báb and that we have the same mission as the Báb: to turn people toward Bahá’u’lláh. This is our way to clarify that it was so important that God sent a Manifestation to prepare humanity for the magnificence of Bahá’u’lláh. This is the most cherished desire of the Báb. We all must be a part of it.”

So many stories of friends coming together to celebrate the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh has helped show the Bahá’í community just how much needs to be done to not only prepare for the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb but also to consolidate the efforts made to bring more people into the community-building activities of the Faith. A number of the delegates commented that the community must to continue to make sacrifices for this work and to bring the spirit of teaching into everyday life.

“The bicentenary was a great move forward,” said an Ontario-based delegate. “The world will take on a new plateau that has not been taken before. We want to make this way of inviting so many people to our Holy Days a way of life, not just a singular celebration for the bicentenaries.”

A delegate from Quebec offered words of encouragement to the friends, reminding them that every day calls for action.

“How many times have we heard this weekend that what is needed is herculean effort?”

Dr. Javaheri, in his address to the assembled delegates on the final evening of the Convention, shared how devotion to Bahá’u’lláh’s vision for humanity is one of the most precious assets for the betterment the world. He asked everyone to consider how their time is spent each day and called them to consider what higher levels of sacrifice they could offer Bahá’u’lláh in teaching His Cause.

While the weight of the work was not lost on those present, it was viewed with a sense of determination and strength born out of the intensity and the love shown through the period of the bicentenary by individuals in their neighbourhoods, villages and cities and through the messages of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Universal House of Justice.

“I was reading the first paragraph from the House,” said a delegate from Ontario, holding up the Ridván Message. “It says that no community is the same since the bicentenary. I am not the same as I was two hours before this Convention. It is so beautiful how the guidance can transform us. There is no limit to how our communities can evolve and how we can evolve with them.”

In closing remarks, the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly expressed gratitude for the friends’ “gifts of thought” and said the consultations of the friends during the days of the National Convention will influence the consultation of the Assembly for the coming year.

She then told a story of a flower that blooms and leaves behind a beautiful fragrance as it fades, and she likened that flower to the spirit of the Convention.

“It’s the fragrance of faithfulness,” she said, looking out over the assembled delegates for the final time. “The faithfulness of friends who have given their all in this past year.”

The convention closed with prayers and one final song sung by a Saskatchewan and Manitoban delegate in memory of the Báb and His sacrifices. The delegates then bid farewell to one another before returning to their homes across the country to share both the spirit and the content of the Convention with the friends.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave the following direction in 1916: “God willing, the call of the Kingdom may reach the ears of the Eskimos (Inuit)…” He also promised that “Effort, the utmost effort, is required.” but assured that, if this effort is displayed “its effect will be very great and far-reaching.” [1]

And, less than a year later, February 21, 1917, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made the call again: “…likewise, dispatch ye teachers to Greenland and the home of the Eskimos (Inuit).”[2]

Encouragement continued to flow when on June 20, 1953 Rúḥíyyih Khánum wrote on behalf of Shoghi Effendi: “He (the Guardian) realizes that the objectives in the far north are perhaps the hardest. On the other hand, the harder the task, the more glorious the victory.”[3]

These powerful words of direction from long ago are still beacons of guiding light in this day.

Bahá’ís have come and gone over the past 60 years or so in some of the communities of Arctic Canada and Greenland. Some have stayed and established small communities. Some are those Inuit who have heard the call of the Kingdom and have stayed north or even moved elsewhere.

Photo: Pat Parks

Perhaps you have felt inspired by those words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. There is still much work to do and still many locations in which the friends do not reside and to which the Message of the Kingdom has yet to reach “the ears.”

Following is a thought shared by one long-term northerner of many decades who became a Bahá’í in the past six years: “That work will be done in Arctic communities with many faith communities, some with ardent, consistent and well-funded recruitment from all the most organized religions of Canada. Nunavut itself is seen as a recruitment region for many world religions, with huge symbolic significance for all Faiths. However, the Bahá’í Faith is regarded with genuine and deep respect by Inuit and long-term non-Inuit residents – and as one of the founding faith traditions of the Arctic, by many.”

Here is advice from one of the Inuit Bahá’ís which could help us reflect on motive and attitude: “The indigenous populations of Canada don’t need ‘saving’. Serving this population is about learning best how the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh can transform the culture into its truest potential and we don’t know what shape or form it will take. It’s about being a true listener and being patient.”

If, as a Bahá’í, you are feeling inspired to live and work in the Arctic as an itinerant professional or permanent resident, you should consider some of the following travel, clothing, food,

employment and housing information:

All travel throughout the Arctic is by airplane and the cost of this travel is considered the highest in the world. Travelling from one community to another can be the same cost or more than an around-the-world flight, elsewhere. Annual travel costs are an encouragement to Arctic residents to collect travel points. Public sector employees working for federal, territorial or municipal governments, Inuit “birthright (land claim) organizations” or some corporations, provide annual travel costs from communities to either Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg or Yellowknife, NWT.

The cost of hotel accommodation typically starts at over $200 per night with meals about 300% greater than most basic southern fare, so make sure all these details are thoroughly worked out before leaving.

Winter clothing: While Nunavut’s cold is dry, winter temperatures range from -15 to -45 degrees Celsius “actual” with typical wind chills that drop the feeling to -55 degrees at coldest times, depending on the community. Insulated wind/snow pants are needed, Arctic-rated snow boots, and Arctic-rated coats with fur face “roughs” will be essential to feel secure and take advantage of winter outside activities that prevent people from becoming house-bound with “cabin fever”. Houses are generally made for the Arctic and tend to be cozy. Many communities experience up to 24 hours of darkness over a period of about 2 to 4 months in the winter (depending upon how far north you are). Those living below the Arctic Circle get some sunlight every day.

Summer climate is generally dry, with shore breezes and frequent shore-fogs, with daily temperatures ranging (depending on the community) from 8 to 25 degrees Celsius in mid-day and cooler in mornings and evenings. Depending on how far north a community is, you may experience up to 24 hours of daylight during several months of the summer. Below the Arctic Circle, the sun sets for a while each day.

All costs of living are significantly higher than most locations across southern Canada, but then, for those who have jobs, the salaries generally reflect this higher cost of living. You will be understanding correctly if you realize that a portion of the population without stable jobs struggle much more than the majority of Canadians to meet their basic needs. On the other hand, most Arctic communities have a complete socio-economic range of incomes, living in close communication with large and successful community efforts to benefit and support secure food sources, sports and school programs for youth. Drugs and alcohol are present in all communities, affecting some more than others, historically.

Food costs are astonishingly high – on average 300% above southern prices – and selection of fresh food is extremely variable, by season and community.

If you are planning to do more than travel to the Arctic and your goal is to live here then, most importantly, you need a job arranged before coming and this job needs to provide you with some kind of employment-based subsidized housing. Below are the types of contract or permanent jobs most open to those coming from out of the territory:

Teachers for all levels of education, building and mechanical tradespeople, atmospheric and “earth” scientists, researchers, corrections workers, RCMP officers, judges, nurses, medical technicians, medics, doctors, surgeons, social workers, accountants, bankers, mid-level “directors” through both the territorial and federal governments, retail managers, pilots, flight attendants and information technology professionals. (This is a very general list and does not cover rare possibilities that can and do arise.)

If you are considering pioneering to Nunavut you are encouraged to be in touch with the National Spiritual Assembly / the Pioneer Desk at the Bahá’í National Centre directly at pioneer@bahai.ca.

]]>Finding my professionhttp://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/finding-my-profession/
Thu, 27 Sep 2018 18:10:18 +0000http://bahaicanada.bahai.ca/?p=29289True reliance is for the servant to pursue his profession and calling in this world, to hold fast unto the Lord, to seek naught but His grace, inasmuch as in His Hands is the destiny of all His servants. – Bahá’u’lláh Aṣl-i-Kullu’l-Khayr (Words of Wisdom), Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh

My 20s have been an unexpectedly busy time of planning, decision making and preparation. One of the things I have been searching for is a profession that I can pursue for many years of my life. I’ve worked in a few different fields and I’ve started to see how my work is another avenue through which I can to contribute to society. Regardless of exactly what you’re doing, if done with love for God and humanity, it is a way to offer your skills to the world and contribute meaningfully to the lives of others.

It was my love for God that clarified my process of searching for a career. When I turn my heart to Him, focus my sight on the vision of a life of service that He has offered us and remember, with gratitude, the many gifts that I’ve been given and the beauty of the world we’ve been placed in, I find myself longing to offer my talents and gifts to society through my work. The challenge for me was that there seemed to be far too many potential paths to take – which one would fulfill me? Which one would allow me to offer the most to society? There didn’t seem to be any clear answers.

Since I was seven years old I believed that I was going to do one thing and one thing alone. I’ve also had to contend with societal expectations and the belief that some professions are better, more noble, more prestigious or more respected than others. It has been so difficult for me to let go of these misguided beliefs to see that there are other options that suit me.

But, when combined with the love of God, identifying my path became much easier. The purpose of my career came into sharper focus: service to humanity and the development of my talents and abilities. With that in mind I found I was better able to be detached from society’s expectations and my own stubborn ideas of professional accomplishment. I could finally see that there are things that I could do so much better because they truly match my talents.

I think my ability to perceive confirmations was also enhanced as I focused on the love of God. I was more consciously looking for them. With many choices before me, I started to work towards the potential careers I shortlisted and found that as I investigated each one the picture of my life became clearer. I could see what a future in each could look like and which options offered space for the service and growth I want in life. And, as with any confirmation, I found some doors opened and others didn’t.

Thinking about my career as another avenue for service alongside other aspects of my life actually changed my choice of career and how I see myself working within it. It helped me to see the value in pursuing the many elements in my life that allow me to grow and contribute to society: my family life, my community life, my personal relationships, my hobbies and skills and, of course, my profession. Rather than all my service coming from one aspect of my life and the rest being there for just my personal benefit, or to simply support the “service-focused” element, I can see how every part of my life contributes to my dedication to Bahá’u’lláh and His vision for humanity.

Realizing that these different elements are all valuable contributions to humanity helped me see my life as a canvas filled with many colours. Together they blend and enhance one another to make this beautiful picture of a life of service.

I don’t think there is any formula or one way to live a life that is focused and guided by the love of God, but I think that as we concentrate on Bahá’u’lláh’s vision and make sincere and honest efforts to express this in our lives, learn from each other, share our tests and confirmations and take time to think and reflect along the way, we find ourselves closer to this goal, little by little.

For me, pursuing this career will mean going back to school and I see that as part of the picture of a life of service. As I turn my focus towards this new and exciting endeavour, I’ll be searching for ways to infuse it with the love of God and let my eagerness to serve Him be my guide. For now, I’ll be doing all I can to prepare myself for this career and I’ll continue to develop the other aspects of my life while focusing on my studies – they are, after all, part of one beautiful canvas.